The present invention relates to the field of pet tethers. More specifically, the present invention provides a rotatable and retractable pet tether having a spiral stake.
When leaving a pet outside, in particular a dog, it is desirable for many reasons to be able to retain the pet within a certain area. For example, it may be desirable to restrain the pet in order to prevent the pet from leaving the owner's yard, to prevent injury to the pet (e.g., from automobiles), or to prohibit the pet from accessing certain items (e.g., flower beds, vegetable gardens, or the like), to separate the pet from other animals or people (e.g., other dogs, the mailman, visitors, etc.), or the like.
Various types of pet tethers have been developed for keeping pets within a desired area. Most prior art pet tethers include some type of stake which is secured into the ground and a leash attached to the stake, such as, for example, the tethers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,630 to Chizmas and U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,774 to Swindall, Jr., et al. Certain other prior art pet tethers include a retractable leash mechanism, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,437,786 to Oberdorf, U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,052 to Marshall, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,500 to Zenteno.
However, the prior art pet tethers all have certain shortcomings. For example, prior art pet tethers which are secured into the ground using a stake having a straight shaft with a pointed end are easily pulled from the ground by pet. Other prior art pet tethers can easily become tangled as the pet circles around the stake. Further still, it is difficult to install most prior art pet tethers in hard ground.
It would be advantageous to provide a pet tether which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a pet tether with a retractable leash which rotates about the stake which secures it into the ground. It would be further advantageous to use a spiral stake to secure the pet tether into the ground. It would also be advantageous to provide a handle on the stake which provides sufficient leverage to enable the spiral stake to be secured into even very hard or rocky soil.
The present invention provides the foregoing and other advantages.